Uniform Reflection & "Jersey's Team" - 1/14/17

The 2017-2018 season marks the official debut of Adidas as the official uniform supplier of the National Hockey League. September’s World Cup of Hockey was an extended preview, but next season will be the full reveal of Adidas’s NHL uniform plan. Reviews of the WCH uniforms were mixed at best. The USA look was relatively unchanged, but the stylized Canadian maple leaf and ridiculous Finland makeover were not met with great enthusiasm. And, of course, all uniforms were graced with those infamous three stripes, just like all Adidas soccer uniforms and Adidas practice jerseys/warmups in other sports.

I understand that uniforms are not untouchable (like everything else) in today’s sporting landscape. Soccer jerseys have long been adorned with ads that are double the size of the team crest. NFL practice jerseys have housed ads near the shoulder pads for nearly the last decade. CFL jerseys have shoulder patch ads as well. The NBA has recently put small ads on its All-Star jerseys. Despite the current landscape, hockey sweaters are still considered sacred by many, including me.

For hope, we can look to the NBA and the CFL. Adidas has outfitted the NBA since Reebok initially signed a uniform deal with the NBA in 2001 (Adidas, which owns Reebok, signed an 11-year extension to that deal in 2006.). While the signature Adidas three stripes are on NBA practice and warmup apparel, those stripes never appeared on NBA game uniforms. Adidas took over the CFL uniform contract prior to the 2016 season and the three stripes were nowhere to be found on those game uniforms either. The CFL redesign was actually quite classy and well-done. So while the World Cup of Hockey jerseys all had the stripes, there is some hope out there.

One of the first announcements that leaked out regarding the NHL and Adidas is that for the 2017-2018 season there will be no third jerseys. All teams will have only a home and away uniform set until Adidas is ready to do a full rollout (and perhaps redesign) for the following season. Rumors have followed regarding teams and uniform decisions. The Edmonton Oilers are already rumored to be ditching their home blues next season and will wear their orange alternates as their home jerseys next season. The Minnesota Wild seem to be leaning towards their green jerseys as opposed to their red ones for their home jerseys next season.

This brings me to “Jersey’s Team.”

Earlier in the week, several tweets broke the news that Adidas and the Devils have agreed on a “significant jersey redesign” for next season. Naturally, many Devils fans (myself included) reacted in outrage. Uniform redesigns and logo reinventions are par for the course these days and sometimes they do work out quite well. But there are times in which change is just not necessary…This is one of those times.

The Devils have had just two uniform sets in 35 years of existence, switching from red, green, and white to red, black, and white after the 1991-1992 season (the franchise’s 10th Anniversary season in Jersey). Despite the color scheme and striping change, the logo remained unchanged except for making the outline and circle black as opposed to green. The Devils’ set has been one of the more widely-appreciated looks in the league. They have never donned a third jersey, only bringing out the red and green throwbacks once a year. The Devils also refused to wear the stylized chrome logo in their Stadium Series game back in 2014, a decision that was applauded by many around the league. When you think about teams that have simple, consistent uniform sets, you think about teams like Alabama, Penn State, USC, the Yankees, the Canadiens, and the Red Wings. Certainly not bad company to be around.

When the words “significant redesign” came up surrounding the Devils’ Adidas uniforms, the best word to describe my feelings would be “mortified.” The absolute last thing I want to see is some ridiculous devil-looking character wielding a pitchfork. The Devils are the only professional sports team with “New Jersey” in its name. The Devils logo is iconic and represents our state and one of its most popular legends. I do not want to see the logo messed with under any circumstances! I’m hopeful that this redesign encompasses only minor tweaks like piping and striping. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was some type of shoulder patch/secondary logo that could later be part of a third jersey design.

Since the departure of long-time general manager Lou Lamoriello and the change in ownership, the changes have been coming fast and furious in Newark. Some of these changes have been welcome such as the players being allowed to interact on social media, far more giveaways/ticket holder opportunities, and uniform numbers outside the 1-35 range (including #13 for the first time in franchise history). While accessibility to players and a modernized uniform numbering system was welcome, there was still something endearing about being somewhat on the outside of the rest of the league on certain matters. We took a strange sense of pride in being the outsider of the league, rarely on TV, always rocking the same uniform, ushering in the “Dead Puck Era,” and making a huge roster splash about once a decade (Stevens, Gilmour, Mogilny, Kovalchuk). Naturally, winning three Stanley Cups and making five trips to the Final makes this all easier to accept and enjoy.

But with just one playoff appearance in the last six seasons, change was inevitable. The roster turnover has been practically nonstop since Ray Shero took over as general manager. That’s not really a complaint, just a fact. It’s been encouraging to see the prospects actually get a shot at playing at the NHL level and to see that competition at both the NHL and AHL level is important. It’s been even more refreshing to see that the Devils are actually drafting and developing better as well as making trades and signings to beef up the AHL affiliate down in Albany. Instead of seeing Mike Sislo, Tim Sestito, Joe Whitney, and others shuttling between Albany and Jersey, the Devils are bringing in players like Pavel Zacha, Blake Coleman, Miles Wood, Steven Santini, Michael McLeod, Blake Speers, and Nathan Bastian – legitimate prospects. For the last five or six seasons of Lou’s tenure, it always seemed that there just weren’t enough reinforcements in Albany to give the big club any type of jolt. Lamoriello still deserves some credit here, as he was responsible for acquiring some of those names – most notably Santini. And Lou was the GM who pulled off the Cory Schneider trade, allowing us a true successor to Martin Brodeur.

The reality is that we will all be forever indebted to Lou for turning the Devils into a legitimate organization that won three Stanley Cups and took four trips to the Final in a 9-year span. It was clear by the end of his tenure, though, that the cupboard was bare and a wholesale change in philosophy needed to be made. It’s been nice to see acquisitions such as Kyle Palmieri and Taylor Hall. Although, we miss Adam Larsson on the blue line a lot more than many outside of Jersey thought the club would. As players such as Palmieri, Hall, Adam Henrique, and Damon Severson continue to establish themselves in the red and black, reinforcements like Zacha, Speers, Santini, and Wood will arrive and try to prove themselves as NHL-caliber players.

It’s funny that a simple tweet about a uniform redesign brings up this groundswell of feelings. When your favorite team hasn’t seen the postseason since the 2011-2012 season after only missing the playoffs once in the twenty seasons before that, you find yourself reflecting often – trying to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it while smiling about all the fond memories of past successes. And a lack of winning will breed either change or insanity depending on the organizational hierarchy. This is just the way it goes in the world of sports.

But it’s important to remember that not every single thing has to change. The Devils can be a beacon of NHL success once more, but they can still do it with a traditional, iconic logo that truly represents “Jersey’s Team.”

Hurry-Up Offense
1. Congrats to Clemson and head coach Dabo Swinney on winning the national championship, defeating dynastic defending champion Alabama, 35-31, in the CFP National Championship Game. The rematch definitely lived up to the hype and then some as Clemson hung tough and turned Jalen Hurts’s fourth quarter TD run from defining moment into rallying cry. Quarterback Deshaun Watson engineered the game-winning drive with 2:01 left on the clock, throwing the winning score to former walk-on Hunter Renfrow with just one second remaining on the clock.

Some notable numbers from the game, courtesy of ESPN:
-Watson in two playoff games versus Alabama: 941 yards and 8 touchdowns
-The ACC this year: 9-3 in bowl games, 10-4 vs. the SEC, 6-2 vs. the Big Ten-
Dabo Swinney: back-to-back 14-win seasons, two postseason wins over Oklahoma, two postseason wins over Ohio State, a postseason win over Alabama, a postseason win over LSU, 89-28 overall record

2. The Chargers are officially headed to Los Angeles. Franchise relocation has long been synonymous with sport, but this is the first time I can truly recall both players and ownership genuinely being unhappy about the move. All reports indicate that the Spanos family felt there was no choice and that leaving San Diego for Los Angeles was a last resort. The city chose not build a new stadium and you can’t blame them for that. It’s just a shame to see nearly 60 years of history go down the drain as the team leaves and rumors of a rebrand persist. Maybe playing their home games in the cozy StubHub Center for the next two seasons will generate some good will for the Chargers. Of course, winning is the universal elixir.

Highlighting the lack of enthusiasm around the move was All-Pro quarterback Philip Rivers, the face of the franchise and long a proponent of remaining in San Diego. He had this to say to San Diego radio station KSLD-AM:

“I’m a little bit numb about it all. It hasn’t really settled in. I want it to be clear that my love for San Diego, the time here, the memories we had, the games, the practices, everything about it is special and awesome. But at the same time, I have to get excited, fired up about going up to a new arena and representing our team and organization and going and trying to win as many games as we can win. And be the same guy I’ve always been. That’s the only way I know.”

3. Just before the New Year, the Ottawa Senators continued their 25th Anniversary celebration by raising long-time captain Daniel Alfredsson’s #11 to the rafters. “Alfie” and his #11 become the first number retired by the Sens since their return to the NHL in 1992 (The original Senators relocated in 1934.). “Alfie” is the franchise’s all-time leader in goals, assists, and points and has long been my favorite non-Devils hockey player. I had the privilege of being at Game 4 of the 2013 Eastern Conference Semifinals, which turned out to be Alfredsson’s last home game as a Senator as he bolted for Detroit the following season. It was incredible, the amount of love and respect the Ottawa fans had for him. Every period when the clock read “11:11,” fans would chant “Alfie” in unison and better yet, he would acknowledge them. I recall Alfredsson speaking on the video tribute at Martin Brodeur’s jersey retirement last year. When he came up on the jumbotron, I turned to my friend next to me at “The Rock” and said “Alfie’s next and I want to be there.” Unfortunately, the timing didn’t really work out, but I watched on TV and will be sure to take another trip up to Ottawa to see his number hanging in the rafters. Congrats, Alfie. Very happy to see that both you and the Senators have made amends after a not-so-glorious exit.

4. I could fill a whole other post with all my thoughts on the college and NFL coaching carousels, but a quick note. This year’s hiring and firing cycle seems to be running a bit late. At the NFL level, the San Francisco 49ers are still without a head coach and both the Denver Broncos and now-Los Angeles Chargers have just made their hires (and they are quality hires, by the way, in Vance Joseph and Anthony Lynn). At the college level, both UConn and Cal fired their head coaches over a month after the season ended and Minnesota canned its head coach after a 9-win season. As sports continue to become more and more of a business, I strongly suspect that the coaching carousel will continue to spin in strange ways.

5. Random wrestling thought: In January 2002, Triple H came back from a devastating torn quadriceps muscle on the January 7, 2002, edition of RAW. The crowd at Madison Square Garden (and yours truly, watching at home) popped as Trips annihilated Kurt Angle and announced that he would be entering the upcoming Royal Rumble match. Just a warm memory as WrestleMania season is upon us.

Until next time.

-Meech

Sharks and Shoes - 5/27/16

Let’s get this thing in motion.....

1. Congrats to the San Jose Sharks on winning the Western Conference, defeating the St. Louis Blues, 5-2, in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals at SAP Center on Wednesday night. The trials and tribulations of the Sharks are well-documented. Courtesy of ESPN Stats and Info, I’ll list a few now:

-Playing their first two seasons in franchise history with a .192 points percentage (28-129-7 record), the 4th-worst in NHL history for any team over any two-season span.
-Spending their first-ever draft pick (#2 overall, 1991) on winger Pat Falloon. Falloon’s career stat line: nine NHL seasons, no seasons scoring more than 25 goals. The next pick in the draft? Hall of Fame defenceman Scott Niedermayer.
-Three losing trips to the Western Conference Finals, including a particularly painful loss in 2011 on a game-winning goal in which no one knew where the puck was.
-Winning the Presidents’ Trophy in 2008-2009 only to be upset in the first round by 8-seeded Anaheim.
-The epic 3-0 collapse against the LA Kings in 2013-2014.
-Missing the playoffs last season.
-The stripping of the captaincy (at various points) of Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton – followed by trade rumors surrounding Marleau and a public tongue-lashing of GM Doug Wilson by Thornton.

This organization has been well-run for quite some time and it seems that everyone in and around the game is thrilled that the Sharks have finally gotten over the hump and to the Final. It’s a very easy team to root for with Marleau and Thornton (the first two overall picks of the 1997 NHL Draft) reaching the Final for the first time as both near their 20th season in the league. It should also be noted that both Marleau and Thornton have been productive in the postseason throughout their careers, averaging just under a point-per-game in over 150 playoff games each – their poor postseason reputation the product of a convenient narrative.

Some credit has to go to GM Doug Wilson as well. Wilson has been maligned on several occasions throughout San Jose’s run since the 2004-2005 lockout. He has regularly referred to it as a “retooling” as opposed to a “rebuilding.” Bringing in Paul Martin, Joel Ward, Martin Jones, Joonas Donskoi, Dainius Zubrus, and head coach Pete DeBoer while keeping the core of Thornton, Marleau, Logan Couture, Joe Pavelski, and Brent Burns intact is nothing short of impressive. It should also be noted that the Sharks have 10 new faces on this year’s roster that were not part of the LA collapse two years ago. Pete DeBoer was also correct in giving some credit to previous head coach Todd McLellan, who is now in Edmonton. The Sharks have always been a well-coached outfit that works hard and does things the right way. I’m definitely pulling for the Sharks to win the “whole f****n’ thing” (Nod to Major League). And just to drive home how much the hockey world loves Marleau and Thornton, check out these two articles.

An article from The Globe and Mail about Joe Thornton.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/joe-thorton-is-the-rare-sure-fire-hall-of-famer-who-goes-underappreciated/article30113099/

An article from ESPN.com on Marleau.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/15708107/nhl-2016-stanley-cup-playoffs-san-jose-sharks-veteran-patrick-marleau-enjoying-being-close-finals/

2. A short commentary on the latest in the athletic apparel front:

UCLA and Under Armour recently agreed to what is currently the largest all-school apparel deal ever in college sports. UCLA is leaving Adidas in July 2017 for a reported 15-year, $280 million deal. This is just the latest deal to be christened as “biggest ever.” In the last year alone, we have seen Michigan (Nike), Miami (Florida) (Adidas), Ohio State (Nike), and Texas (Nike) all strike new all-school apparel deals for extremely large sums of money. It’s only a matter of time before one of the big three apparel providers in the college game (Nike, Adidas, Under Armour) strike another deal for an even larger sum. As a matter of fact, about two weeks before Under Armour announced its deal with UCLA, it announced a deal with Cal-Berkeley, giving Under Armour a solid west coast footprint for the next decade or so.

My first instinct is to say that Adidas has suffered a great loss. In addition to UCLA, Adidas has lost Michigan (Nike), Tennessee (Nike), Wisconsin (Under Armour), and Notre Dame (Under Armour) in the last year. Although when I look at it again, Adidas still has Texas A&M, Nebraska, and Louisville under its football umbrella. Plus, the brand took Miami (Florida) and Arizona State away from Nike last year. It seems that this arms race is similar to the arms race in facilities that permeates the college athletics landscape. All we can do is wonder what the next big domino to fall will be.

This also extends into the professional ranks. Reebok has lost the NFL and the NHL (starting in the 2017-2018 season) recently. Nike has regained the NFL and will retake the NBA from Adidas starting in the 2017-2018 season. MLB has been aligned with Majestic since 1982 for its on-field uniforms and batting practice jerseys, making their agreement exclusive in 2005 and recently extending it. The NHL is now turning to Adidas (away from Reebok) at the start of the 2017-2018 season with a sneak peek coming in this September’s World Cup of Hockey.

As an avid hockey fan, I am worried about this. One major Adidas trademark is to put its signature three stripes wherever it can on its uniforms. The hockey sweater is iconic in its own right and imagining future NHL uniforms with the three stripes piping running underneath sleeves and even onto the shells is horrifying. Hockey sweaters still have a traditional feel to them and while some updates/upgrades are exciting, I just don’t want Adidas to completely bastardize them.

A sign of hope, perhaps, are the new CFL uniforms. Adidas is replacing Reebok this season as the official uniform provider of the Canadian Football League. A look at the new designs for the nine CFL franchises gives me some hope. The CFL redesigns are simple and, in some cases, barely noticeable. I’m hoping that Adidas leaves the traditional NHL designs alone and makes subtle improvements around the league…very much like their CFL rollout and a stark contrast from their college football uniform designs. Hopefully, that’s all a product of understanding their audience and maybe Adidas will respect the NHL and its professional tradition. Remember, the league celebrates its centennial season in 2016-2017.

3. Quick Hits

a. Tuesday marked 100 days until kickoff of the 2016 college football season! The Week 1 slate is incredible…thanks to the CFP forcing teams to schedule more legitimate non-conference opponents to beef up their strength of schedule argument. Some of the Week 1 highlights: Oklahoma/Houston; LSU/Wisconsin; Alabama/USC; Clemson/Auburn; Texas/Notre Dame; Stanford/Kansas State; and Florida State/Ole Miss.

b. Some credit to the Memphis Grizzlies: Former Memphis Grizzlies head coach Dave Joerger was hired to be the head coach of the Sacramento Kings just two days after being fired by Memphis. The Grizzlies, after being a laughing stock for much of their NBA tenure, have quietly made the playoffs six seasons in a row – the 3rd-longest active streak in the league after the San Antonio Spurs (19 straight) and the Atlanta Hawks (9 straight). Joerger and previous head coach Lionel Hollins (also unceremoniously dumped) deserve a lot more credit than I suspect they actually get in NBA circles. Memphis used an NBA-record 28 players this year due to injuries and still managed to go 42-40 before losing to San Antonio in a physical first round sweep. Here’s to hoping that Mike Conley comes back and Memphis can continue quietly surprising people in the West.

c. I don't want to make any specific comments regarding the dismissal of Baylor head coach Art Briles. I believe this is a situation that is only going to get stickier as it is investigated further. I will simply note the tremendous job Briles did in taking a Big XII doormat and turning it into a legitimate playoff contender and national player. He leaves Baylor with a 65-37 record and brought Baylor (in 2013) its first outright conference championship since 1980. He has also had a hand in the building of McLane Stadium.

d. A few good articles on the dismissal of Art Briles:

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/15745248/line-events-rise-dismissal-baylor-bears-coach-art-briles

e. I'm intrigued by the WWE’s recent announcement to go live on Tuesday nights with Smackdown every week as opposed to a Tuesday taping with a Thursday airing. I’m not a big fan of the Tuesday night airing as having RAW and Smackdown on back-to-back nights could be a bit much, but I like that they are giving the “blue brand” a much needed jolt. I hope that the distinct rosters lead to distinct wrestling styles and presentations between the two shows. I understand that they are both WWE products and will wrestle the “WWE style,” but I believe the shows can still have distinct flavors. I also hope that the WWE World Heavyweight Championship remains intact. Having one undisputed world champion floating between the two shows will keep both brands unified under the WWE banner while allowing them to grow on their own accord. I’m also curious to see how the superstar draft will work and how this affects NXT. Ultimately, the most likely main goal of all this has been accomplished: People are once again drawn into and talking about the WWE product.

f. And a quick shout out to Spurs. Despite fading down the stretch, Tottenham (my BPL team of choice) turned in their best Premier League finish ever, finishing second in the table and earning a spot in next year’s Champions League. With an incredible nucleus (Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Jan Vertonghen, Christian Eriksen, Erik Lamela, Toby Alderweireld, Hugo Lloris) and a contract extension for manager Mauricio Pochettino, hopes are high for countless Spurs supporters (such as myself) and the upcoming season.

g. Random thought: 16 years ago in May 2000, Triple H (my all-time favorite wrestler) defeated The Rock in a 60-minute Iron Man Match at Judgment Day to begin his 4th WWF Championship reign.

Until next time.

-Meech

Nothing Like a Ride on the Coaching Carousel - 11/30/15

Let's do this return to the "blogosphere" in "Grab Bag" (Thanks to @DownGoesBrown for the format and the whole "Grab Bag" concept.) format. Don't worry. I promise there will still be long-form posts but sometimes it's good to just weigh in with some quick hitters.

So let's go.

1. Les Miles is still IN at LSU
I am absolutely appalled at all the speculation that had been surrounding Les Miles the last two weeks. I understand that sports have become the epitome of a "what have you done for me lately" business but the stats still warrant a look. Miles has won over 75% of his games in 11 seasons (111-32), 2 SEC Titles, 1 National Championship (played for another one), and has had a whopping 64 NFL Draft choices during his tenure in Death Valley. There may not be a coach more synonymous with his school than "The Mad Hatter." It's no secret that I have long been a fan of Miles and I find it ridiculous that a group of rogue boosters could create an uprising to the point where the athletic administration let Miles twist in the wind while every sports news outlets ran video montages recapping his career at LSU. It's even crazier to think that within hours of the initial speculation about his job security becoming public, those rogue boosters said that the $15 million necessary for his buyout was already banked and ready to go. I thought Miles did a pretty good job handling the situation and LSU athletic director Joe Alleva eventually stated, "I want to make it very clear and positive that Les Miles is our football coach and he will continue to be our football coach." Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal went on record (via Twitter) and said, "Les Miles is a great coach and a better man. He is a fantastic ambassador for our state. I hope he remains our coach." You know you have to be doing something right if the governor of the state says something on your behalf.
I'm glad that LSU got this decision right. Patience is a virtue and while there are plenty of things to fix at LSU (particularly on the offensive side of the football), I truly believe that Miles is the guy who is most capable of getting the job done. I understand that he hasn't defeated Nick Saban and Alabama in his last five tries, but who has? Miles is a tremendous football coach and guys like him don't come along often. As ESPN's Mark Schlabach pointed out, Miles turned down the chance to coach his alma mater, Michigan, in 2007 while Saban was quick to bolt for the NFL and the Miami Dolphins. Plus, his players (along with plenty of LSU fans) absolutely love him and make no secret about it, evidenced by them carrying him off the field after Saturday's win over Texas A&M. I'm very happy to see that some sanity has prevailed in the topsy-turvy world of college football.

2. Mark Richt is OUT at Georgia
Just when I was feeling good about things, Georgia went and fired another one of my favorite coaches, Mark Richt. The easy assumption is that UGA fired him because he has not won an SEC Title in 10 years. However, Richt has taken Georgia back to national relevance not seen since the Vince Dooley era over his 15 seasons in Athens. Richt was 145-51 with SEC Titles in 2002 and 2005. He also captured the SEC East on three other occasions and had 79 players drafted by the NFL. A win in their bowl game would make 2015 Richt's tenth 10-win season at UGA. He had success against two of UGA's three big rivals, going 13-2 against Georgia Tech and 10-5 against Auburn. The knock on his resume is his 5-10 record against Florida. It's understood that watching Missouri win two of the last three SEC East crowns while Florida and Tennessee struggled can be conceived as missed opportunities but don't forget that UGA hadn't won an SEC crown in 20 years before Richt arrived on campus in 2002 after serving as Bobby Bowden's offensive coordinator at Florida State. Richt has been noted to be a religious man and a great influence on his players. St. Louis Rams running back Todd Gurley has gone on record with his anger and frustration at Richt's firing. I would add to that but I think Alabama head coach Nick Saban truly said it best. Saban was quoted in an article on AL.com, saying:

"I don't know what the world's coming to in our profession...Mark Richt's been a really good coach and real positive person in our profession for a long, long time. I think when you win nine games, that's a pretty good season, and especially with the body of work that he's been able to put together there for however years he's been there...I hate to see people that have the character and quality and ability to affect young people in a positive way like Mark Richt not be a part of our profession."

Well said, Coach Saban. Well said.

3. Progress in Jersey (Very excited about this!)
If anyone thought that the New Jersey Devils (Jersey's Team...and mine) would be 12-9-2 and playing respectable, hard-nosed hockey just past the quarter post of the NHL season, then he was probably part of the team locker room or staff. The transition out of the Lou Lamoriello/Martin Brodeur era was quite abrupt this summer but is finally starting to smooth out a bit. Cory Schneider has established himself as an All-Star netminder and the team is scoring nearly three goals per game. Guys like Lee Stempniak, Tyler Kennedy, Bobby Farnham, and Jordan Tootoo are playing that gritty style of hockey that used to be synonymous with the Devils. Mike Cammalleri and Adam Henrique are scoring. Kyle Palmeiri has been an excellent addition. Travis Zajac looks like a different player. And of course, Patrik Elias is doing what he always does and scored his first goal of the season Saturday at Montreal in his third game back from a knee injury. When my season tickets arrived this year I was excited (as always) but more curious than anything else. I had no postseason expectations and was just hoping to see some competitive hockey. But I feel the return on this team has been tremendous. I'm genuinely excited to see where this team goes as the season progresses. I'm still realistic as I don't expect playoffs and I hope that the higher-ups don't sacrifice the long-term plan that is clearly in place for a shot at a wild card berth this season. But it's been very gratifying to watch this team work their tails off night in and night out, a stark contrast to the last few seasons in Newark. Rookie head coach John Hynes is definitely in the process of putting his stamp on the team and I think the long-term prospects for Jersey's Team are very bright indeed.

4. Quick Hitters
a. Syracuse hoops is off to a good start, taking the Battle of Atlantis by beating UConn and Texas A&M, and now appearing at #14 in the AP Poll. #GoOrange
b. Johnny Manziel is an embarrassment. Period.
c. I'm still not an NBA guy at all but you have to respect the defending champion Golden State Warriors coming out of the gate with an 18-0 start.
d. I was thrilled to see the Toronto Blue Jays back in the MLB Postseason for the first time since 1993. I hope this isn't a flash in the pan and Canada's lone MLB team can continue to be competitive.
e. Congrats to the Edmonton Eskimos on winning the 2015 Grey Cup. Also props to the Ottawa Redblacks for turning a 2-16 campaign in 2014 into an East title and a near-win in this year's Grey Cup. It was not a banner season for my team as the Saskatchewan Roughriders limped to a 3-15 finish. Here's hoping 2016 is better in Riderville.
f. Very happy with the early returns on Tottenham's 2015-2016 BPL campaign, with 6 wins, 7 draws, and just 1 defeat, Spurs sit two points behind rival Arsenal for fourth in the BPL table. Come On You Spurs!

5. Random Wrestling Note

The insane 6-man Hell in a Cell Match for the WWE (then WWF) Championship at Armageddon featuring Kurt Angle (champion), Undertaker, The Rock, Triple H, Stone Cold, and Rikishi was 15 years ago this December. Yikes.

Until next time.

-Meech

We Can't Be on Top of the Sports World Forever - 2/25/15

Every sports fan wants the same thing...to have the love given to his/her team given right back in the form of championships, star players, long-term success/viability, merchandise, and affordable ticket prices. In a world where not all is created equally, there are plenty of sports teams that hit some of the markers but only a select few that hit them all. Being a sports fan is a cyclical exercise. There will be times when your teams are at the top of the mountain; and there will be other times when your teams are at the bottom of the barrel. In an era where four of the five (I'll give you some recognition, MLS.) major North American professional sports leagues have 30 or 32 teams along with plenty of financial realities and constraints, sustained dominance is harder than ever. We view dominance and success through a much different lens than fans did years ago. For example, from 1921-1930 the New York Yankees were in the World Series five times (winning three). That means the Yankees were in the World Series (on average) every other year. Or from 1932-1965, the Yanks appeared in the World Series a stunning 20 times. That means for more than half of the World Series played in that 33-year stretch, the Yankees were on one side of the field. This phenomenal feat may have frustrated many, but when there were only eight or ten other teams in the American League, fans of those other teams still had something to hope for.

Besides, that type of run is simply not possible now. Salary caps, expansion, diluted talent pools, TV deals, free agency, and various other realities have taken that dominance away from professional athletics. The buzzword these days is "competitive balance." From an ownership point of view, this makes perfect sense. Sports is still a business, a multibillion dollar one at that. In order for all franchises to be financially viable and appealing to a fan base, there has to be at least the illusion of winning or contending. If there was a team like the Yankees in any sport in this day and age, there would be many frustrated individuals. Most sports fans enjoy dominance over short time periods (i.e. the 2011-2014 Miami Heat, the 1991-1998 Chicago Bulls, or the 1999-2004 Los Angeles Lakers) but most tire of this dominance after a while and want to see fresh blood at the top of the ladder, not the teams that they feel are being forced on them all season due to national television appearances and broadcast contracts (This is similar to the John Cena argument in WWE, a frustration I will voice some other time.). By the way, isn't it crazy to think that since 1991, only EIGHT NBA teams have been crowned champions: Bulls, Rockets, Spurs, Lakers, Celtics, Mavericks, Pistons, Heat?? Anyway, if you ask most fans, they would naturally respond that they want to see their teams at the top of the ladder every year. Basically, dominance is perfectly acceptable as long as it's your team.

On the other hand, dominance does have an intriguing quality about it. It is very impressive to see how an organization can manage so many variables and still be wildly successful over a lengthy period of time. There's also the standard angle of loathing the dominating team and pulling for every underdog that presents itself. It's always nice to have that built-in bad guy as the payoff at the end is rewarding for many fans of the underdog teams. Whether you like them or not, the New England Patriots always seem to pique fan interest in the NFL. What the Pats have done since 2001 is nothing short of incredible. They have appeared in six of the last 14 Super Bowls (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLII, XLVI, XLIX), won four Vince Lombardi trophies (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLIX), appeared in nine AFC Championship games, have not had a losing season since 2000-2001, and have only missed the playoffs twice in the "Brady/Belichick Era." When you consider the current NFL landscape, this is a run of absolutely historic proportion. It seems like the Patriots have ruled the NFL for a generation. And how about the Atlanta Braves? From 1991-2005, "Hot-Lanta" took home 14 consecutive National League East Division championships, five NL pennants, and a World Series title in 1995. The Phillies and Red Sox have had mini-runs in the 2000s but nothing like the Braves.

But when you step back for a moment, you realize life wasn't always so good in Foxboro and Atlanta. From 1971-1995, the Pats made just six playoff appearances and posted a winning record only nine times. The Braves have made just three playoff appearances in the nine seasons since their run. Bottom line, even the most dominant teams have down periods. Nobody likes to remember the Yankees of the 1980s and early-1990s. It's hard to believe that it was actually the Mets that ruled the New York baseball scene then. Or that both the Celtics and the Lakers have found themselves in the NBA Draft Lottery their fair share over the last 25 years.

And all of this brings me to my own personal sporting cycle. I love sports but I must admit where my true die-hard fan passions lie. I am a huge football fan and will watch as much of it as I possibly can. But I am not a die-hard fan of any particular NFL team as my allegiances have shifted a bit over the years. I could say the same thing about baseball. In both cases, I was brought up on the local teams and still root for them to do well...after some brief childhood runs with the Marlins (MLB) and the Patriots (NFL). Yes, I openly admit that I was a Pats fan for a bit as a child. I was a big Drew Bledsoe/Bill Parcells fan growing up. And even crazier, I will admit that I was a Marlins fan for a bit as well. I was heartbroken when they sold everyone off after winning (buying) the 1997 World Series. I have never had a die-hard NBA passion as my heart always belonged to college basketball. While I am becoming a Tottenham Hotspur die-hard, I did not grow up watching the Premier League so this is still relatively fresh. Although, I will tell you that I am already experiencing the heartbreak and frustration that comes with being a Spurs supporter. My die-hard passions have always been in three places: New Jersey Devils hockey, Syracuse football & basketball, and Florida State football. Those are the three (or four) teams that I have never wavered in supporting. From the very first moments I can recall watching and playing sports, these have always been my teams of choice in their respective sports. The fact that I am a Devils season-ticket holder and a 'Cuse alumnus only speaks further to that fact.

Looking at most of my sporting fandom life, I have been quite fortunate. From the 1989-1990 season thru the 2011-2012 season, the Devils only missed the playoffs twice while appearing in the Stanley Cup Final five times and winning Lord Stanley's Cup on three occasions (1995, 2000, 2003). Florida State was quite dominant as well. From 1991 to 2000, the 'Noles won double digit games and were ranked in the AP Top 5 every year, winning the national championship twice and appearing in two more national title games on top of that. Syracuse hoops also had great success. From 1993-2006, the 'Cuse won at least 20 games every season except one, only missed the NCAA Tournament twice, reached two Final Fours, and won the national championship in 2003. From 1991 to 2001, Syracuse football won eight or more games seven times, played in eight bowl games, and won three Big East Championships. When you look at all of this on a whole, my sports fandom life has been one full of tremendous success and plenty of victories. There were several collaborative high points as well. In 2000, Florida State was crowned the BCS National Champion to start the year, defeating Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl. Syracuse would appear in the Sweet 16 before falling to eventual national champion Michigan State. The Devils would defeat the Dallas Stars in six games to win the franchise's second Stanley Cup, after rallying from a 3-1 series deficit against the hated Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Conference Finals. 2003 would prove to be a pretty solid year as well. The Devils would capture their third Stanley Cup. Syracuse, behind freshman sensation Carmelo Anthony, won the national championship, did not lose a home game all season, and trotted out the same starting five (McNamara, Duany, Warrick, Anthony, Forth) for all 35 games that season. Florida State would win the ACC title and earn a berth in the Orange Bowl. Syracuse football, although finishing at 6-6 and without a bowl berth, had a bright spot, pasting Notre Dame on national television at the Carrier Dome, 38-12. I, like any other fan, was on top of the world and feeling great.

Then reality...and the cycle...set in.

Syracuse football has been on a tremendous downswing. Since 2004, the 'Cuse has had just three winning seasons (two 8-5 finishes and one 7-6 finish), played in four bowl games, and won zero conference titles. The Devils have won just five playoff series since winning the Stanley Cup in 2003. "Jersey's Team" suffered first-round exits in 2004, 2008, 2009, and 2010 while missing the playoffs entirely in 2011, 2013, & 2014. As of right now, the Devils are eight points out of the second wild-card spot with 22 games left to play. Syracuse hoops has been up and down. From 2004-2008, the Orange exited the NCAAs in the first round twice and failed to qualify for the "Big Dance" twice. 'Cuse basketball has recovered a bit, reaching the Elite Eight in 2012 and the Final Four in 2013. But now the program is operating under looming NCAA sanctions and a self-imposed one-year postseason ban. Florida State took a dip in Bobby Bowden's final few seasons, turning out a handful of 7-6 finishes. The 'Noles are back on the upswing, though, winning the national championship in 2013 and reaching the College Football Playoff this past season.

My reaction to this current state of affairs is much different than it would be if I were in my childhood days. Losing one solitary game was the end of the world at that point in my life. I'm still immensely frustrated if my teams lose a game nowadays, but I also understand that the season is a long and sometimes grueling stretch and that one loss doesn't necessarily spell the end of championship aspirations...except in college football where one loss can sink your dreams (unless you're Ohio State this season). As you watch more sports and experience more in life, you begin to realize that it's just not plausible for your teams to stay at the top forever. They can't win the championship every year. They might not even be able to make the playoffs every year. It's also harder to stand behind one squad when you have national viewing options. Growing up, it was all local teams on television. Now, with the internet and streaming television, you can be a fan of anyone because you have access to all of their games. For example, I find that I have a growing affinity for the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders (something I have covered in a previous blog post) and I enjoy watching all the NHL and college football I can. Also, children tend to be wishy-washy, changing opinions at a moment's notice. The trick is that you have to stand behind your team through all the ups and downs. Sports fandom speaks to a deeper connection. As I mentioned before, my MLB and NFL allegiances have shifted often but my ties to the 'Cuse, the 'Noles, and the Devils have never wavered. And I'm also now building unwavering ties to Tottenham Hotspur. I possess a much deeper connection to those teams. I went to my first Devils game back in February of 1992 (the 28th to be exact - a 3-2 overtime loss to the New York Islanders), at 8 years old and I was hooked instantly. They are "Jersey's Team" and I take great pride in that. Syracuse is the only school I ever wanted to go to after watching Marvin Graves (football) and Lawrence Moten (basketball) as a child and I am now a proud alumnus. Florida State was the first football team I truly watched with my father and that bond has stuck as well. Spurs were the first BPL team I was exposed to and I am all-in.

Regardless of where your allegiances may be, you must understand that you can't be number one forever. At some point, your teams will experience down cycles. It's your job to simply stand behind them in continuing support.

And yes, you are allowed to "boo."

-Meech