Category Archives: Sports
Will Brian Burke Fire Ron Wilson after Public Outcry?
Ron Wilson is one of those NHL coaches that immediately upon hearing his name, one thinks of his long list of credentials. Tuesday night marked his 1400th game as an NHL coach; and he’s up there with having the most wins under his belt as a coach. His skill is there, and has proven itself time and time again. The question is not whether or not the man can coach; it’s whether or not he can coach the current Toronto Maple Leafs.
On this past milestone Tuesday evening, it wasn’t just a big career-mark for Wilson, it was also a must-win game for the Leafs. Facing the Florida Panthers, the Leafs were chasing them for a playoff spot, and coming right off making a few trades the day before, it was time for Toronto to show the world that they were there to fight. And for Wilson to show that he could pull his team together.
It all ended just 13 seconds after face-off. After an embarrassing defensive play, the Panthers took the lead 1-0, and it went downhill from there. It wasn’t long after that the fans started chanting “FI-RE WIL-SON” from the stands. This too is nothing new; albeit a bit disappointing for Wilson. But fans and the media have been talking about firing Wilson for some time. The question is whether or not Brian Burke will actually do it.
Burke and Wilson have a long-standing history. And maybe even more than that, they have a long-standing friendship. With these two, it goes way back to the days they shared a college dorm room together, and played together for the Providence College Friars hockey team. Burke did not hire Wilson to coach for the Leafs, but known for his loyalty, Wilson hasn’t gone anywhere since Burke’s come onto the team. Despite what fans and experts have said.
Burke has said that he’s not going to allow personal feelings to get in the way of business decisions; and in the end, he’ll probably do the right thing. Ron Wilson is a great coach, there’s no denying that. But his team is no longer listening to him, and he’s simply no longer effective in this organization. And let’s not forget that he’s in the biggest hockey town in the biggest hockey country in the world — a place where public outcry accounts for a lot.
Where is Dwight Howard Going to Go?
Dwight Howard has not been happy being a part of the Orlando Magic ever since his own magic was taken away after the 2009 NBA Finals. Howard wants to be part of a “Big Three” type of situation that’s currently happening in Miami; and he’s bitter towards the Magic, who traded away his possible chance for that shortly after the Finals in 2009.
This is true at least, according to Courtney Lee, who played with Howard during the Finals that year. After Orlando lost to the Lakers, many of Howard’s key teammates were traded to the New Jersey Nets; and it’s this that Lee says began the demise of Howard in an Orlando uniform. When talking about the Howard situation recently, Lee said, “I’m not surprised. When they broke up the team in 2009, you could just see the frustration in Dwight’s face. We talked about it a couple of times and you could just tell he was upset about it. Most franchise NBA players are involved in the decision-making. Dwight’s feeling like he’s not involved.”
Now, Howard’s sick of playing for a losing team and is looking for a new city to call home. Preferably one with a few major players. But will he be able to get it? In order for Orlando to trade Howard, they’ll have to get some pretty big players in return, possibly leaving Howard with just as average a team as the one he’s leaving. But who are those possibilities? Here are the most likely trade situations as they stand now:
- Howard could go to the Lakers in exchange for Andrew Bynum. However, the Lakers are also looking at signing Gilbert Arenas; that would be good for Howard, since the two are friends and have played together before, but could the Lakers afford it?
- The L.A. Clippers are other potentials for Howard, but they’d have to get rid of just about everyone but Chris Paul. Howard has expressed interest in playing with Paul, and if they can manage to also keep Blake Griffin, it’d be an outstanding team.
- The Chicago Bulls are a great fit for Howard, and with Derrick Rose the two could be unstoppable. But Howard hasn’t mentioned Chicago and with Adidas as his sponsor, there’s even talk it’s actually Nike holding Howard back.
Of those possible teams, only one makes Howard’s wish list, and that’s the Lakers. His other main two teams he’d like to be traded to are the New Jersey Nets and the Dallas Mavericks; although he keeps expanding that with every passing day. Where do you think Dwight Howard will end up?
Shaq vs. Show – A Wrestlemania Dream Match?
If you have ever watched the WWE, then you probably already know that celebrity stunts are a wrestling tradition, ever since Vince McMahon marketed the first Wrestlemania to mainstream audiences with Mr. T and Cyndi Lauper. The tradition has continued through the years, featuring all sorts of bizarre cameos, including Mike Tyson (long before The Hangover made him cool again), Donald Trump (in a bad hair vs. bad hair match with McMahon) and even the Muppets (strangely enough). Now it looks as if the WWE is up to its old tricks again. Now there is serious talk of Shaq vs. Show, as in Shaquille O’Neal vs. “The Big Show” Paul Wight at Wrestlemania.
It’s hard to imagine anyone in America not knowing either of these giants. Shaquille O’Neal is a former MVP and NBA Legend, standing seven feet and one inch tall, and 325 pounds, making him one of the NBA‘s largest athletes of all time. He recently retired from the league after 19 years of power playing. The Big Show is a veteran of wrestling going way back to the beginning of the WCW era, during which he was cited to be “Andre’s son.” He is a former WCW and WWE champion and a sports entertainment icon. Ever since his WWE days, he has tightened his muscle tone and now stands a huge man (not just chubby!) at 485 pounds and seven foot even.
That’s right, Shaq is actually taller than The Big Show, so right away this is going to be a hard fight to predict. If you’re been watching WWE recently then you may remember that Shaq and Show have already met each other, under troubled circumstances. After a title match, Shaq and Show had a confrontation that led to Shaq shoulder blocking The Big Show. He also served as a Raw Guest Host and earned a Slammy nomination–though he later lost to Bob Barker. (Honestly though, who doesn’t lose to Bob Barker in everything?)
Will the dream match happen? Shaq is already saying he’s in negotiations with the WWE to schedule a match, and it would only be fitting since this year’s Wrestlemania takes place in Miami. Who could forget that Shaq played for Miami Heat from 2005 to 2008? If it happens, it will certainly make for one of the WWE’s top celebrity moments in history!
Behind The Houston Astros Relocation
You had to know something was up with the Houston Astros. After all, they finished disastrously last season, and became the first team in the franchise’s history to lose 100 games in one season. Not the sort of history making event Drayton McLane was hoping for!
Perhaps someone decided it was time to take drastic measure. Now, we hear the big news–that the Houston Astros are moving to the American League after nearly half a century playing in the National League. This move will balance the number of teams in the MLB. More importantly to Texas fans, it will set up a very interested rivalry with the Texas Rangers.
The deal is practically done, as the team was already sold to Jim Crane (Crane Capital Group) and approved by the league. The word is that the Astros will join the league and be ready for competition as soon as 2013. While this isn’t the first time a team has changed leagues, it is the first time it has happened in a while–well over ten years have passed since the trick was last done in 1998.
When the team re-launches, each league will have 15 teams. The Astros will be part of the AL West, leaving behind the NL Central. Team owners remain positive about the change, and hope that the new territory will help attract more viewers to America’s favorite game.
The only piece of the puzzle left is what legendary player and current team owner Nolan Ryan thinks of the news. Ryan of course, used to play with the Houston Astros, before becoming president of his favorite team, the Texas Rangers. Reportedly, Ryan is very happy with the news and is anxious to see Houston battle the Rangers on a regular basis. “If both teams are competitive in a given year,” commented Ryan, “It will create a good rivalry within the state. There’s a lot of pluses from our perspective.”
Yes, the Astros have clearly fallen from grace (their final record this past season was 56-106) but perhaps brighter Texas skies are ahead for the team. Perhaps things are much better in the American League, which produced a stellar season for the Texas Rangers who finished 96-66 and reached the World Series two seasons in a row.
What do you think? Is Houston going to come back in a big way?
The Dallas Cowboys Hit a New Low While the Jets Tank – What Happened?
Well, things are looking about normal for an NFL cynic: Dallas is looking lame while the Jets are stalling. This past Sunday (as of October 2nd) Dallas suffered a devastating loss–not to the rising star of the season, nor to a bulky team like New England Patriots – but to the Detroit Lions. Tony Romo deserves just as much praise as he does criticism; he helped Dallas to a 24-point lead, and the team controlled the game until halftime. However, three interceptions later, the momentum shifted.
Down to the last two minutes of the game, the Dallas Cowboys were looking competitive. Then, Dallas blew it by the third interception, losing 34-30. Actually, some Dallas fans went around town saying that Dallas had won, as they hadn’t seen the final moments of the game! Every second counted in this one. Tony Romo later said, “It hurts. We were obviously in a position to win this game. … It doesn’t feel good right now.” These sentiments joined by those of Sean Lee, who called the lost “devastating.”
Hey, don’t be too hard on Dallas. Despite the fact that this was an “upset” roster wise, Detroit is actually looking stellar this season. They have built up a 4-0 loss, their best lead since 1980! If only the Lions had beat the Cowboys in a normal, competitive game. It does hurt a bit though, since this is Dallas’ worst “blown lead” in the last 50 years of game play.
Meanwhile another heavily hyped NFL team is running out of fuel, and it’s Jet-fuel. The New York Jets crashed in their game against the Baltimore Ravens, with 34-17. Like the Lions, the Ravens are actually building some momentum of their own (their third victory in four games). It just hurts that New York was primed and ready for their comeback. Now, the Jets are 2-2 and looking less than amazing. Even if they go on to win this year, it’s not going to be an 18-0 type of situation.
Fans noticed some major problems in the Jets’ offense; in fact, only three points were claimed in regular play. The other 14 came from an interception return and a kickoff. The Ravens defense won the game, and it’s hard to deny that their offense was just more aggressive than New York’s.
For someone who doesn’t believe in amazing recovery seasons and sentimental wins, things are as they should be. Dallas and New York are squashed while we wait for someone to “rise out of the ashes” and take this season!
The Latest in NFL News: One Icon Falls While Another is Resurrected
Michael Vick was the talk of the NFL last weekend, as his return to the Atlanta Falcons–a game that should have been triumphant for this great athlete and scandalous sports icon–proved to be disappointing. In fact, Vick was almost embarrassed after suffering a concussion during the game’s third quarter. Vick required medical attention and was actually seen spitting blood, though reporters later stated that the blood was from accidentally biting down on his tongue.
The good news is that Vick did not require major medical attention and was cleared for travel with the team. However, he will require further testing before being allowed to play. Despite Vick’s humbling, the Falcons still pulled off a victory against the Eagles, 35-31. In fact, Atlanta fans called the game a great moment that the Falcons deserved after a troubling couple of seasons with Vick. It was also good news for quarterback Matt Ryan who shined tremendously with Vick out of the picture.
Even while Vick’s reputation seemed shaky over the weekend, the New York Jets’ rap was resurrected to greatness. The New York Jets defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2, just one week after defeating the monstrously defensive Dallas Cowboys. In fact, the New York Jets demolished the Jaguars 32-3, proving that last week was (probably) not a fluke. Okay, okay. We’re still waiting for a couple of games before we proclaim New York the team to beat this year. Will New York ride its sentimental and patriotic momentum to glory like the New Orleans Saints did in 2009?
The team is far from perfect this season, as they did actually struggle in the first quarter, suffering interceptions and desperately going for field goals. However, New York’s conservative approach to scoring is paying off. Of course, New York haters are still suggesting that clobbering Jacksonville isn’t much to boast about–considering that the team lost David Garrard.
The real test for New York will be in the next three games. First it’s the Oakland Raiders, then the Baltimore Ravens, and then the championship magnet New England Patriots. It’s time to stop bragging about last minute wins and handicap matches (er, sorry Jacksonville) and start thinking Super Bowl caliber plays!
What do you think? Is New York’s momentum building strong?
No Lokomotiv Team will Play in KHL this Year
After a private jet carrying the entire Lokomotivs team (equivalent to an NHL team in Russia) crashed in western Russia last week, the Kontinental Hockey League was unsure of what to do with the team’s season. There was discussion of holding a draft to recruit one or two members from every other KHL team to play the remainder of the year; but that didn’t seem necessary as many players volunteered to play for the team. Now, all options have been put on hold as the KHL has decided that the Lokomotivs will not play in the KHL this year.
The President of the KHL was the one to announce that the Lokomotivs would not be playing this year, but did confirm that the team would be back to play in the 2012 — 2013 season. The team’s main sponsor, Russian Railroads, made a statement shortly following the announcement, saying that team is not just “players and hockey sticks, but also spirit. And that spirit will take some time to rebuild.”
It was an extremely hard weekend for friends and loved ones of the team. A memorial service was held this past Saturday at the Arena-2000, the home arena of the Lokomotivs. Over 100,000 people attended, forcing the service to be extended for a few hours.
Sadly, the only player who survived the plane crash, Alexander Galimov, died on Monday in the hospital after being in “grave condition” since Wednesday’s crash. Galimov was being treated for burns at the Vishnevsky Surgery Institute as he had burns covering 80% of his body.
The incident is one of many that has Russian government officials looking into making complete overhauls to both their air and water transportation systems.
Shaquille O’Neal Hits One Over the Green Monster
While some basketball players might be looking for a way to kill time while the lockout’s on, others are just enjoying their retirement. That’s exactly what Shaquille O’Neal is doing and while he’s still keeping his passion for sports close to heart, this time it’s a different kind of ball that Shaq tried his hand at. It’s baseball, and Shaq tested his skills at one of the most famous baseball parks in the world — Fenway.
Just when the game was played is unclear; but details were released during a radio interview with Kevin Garnett, in which Garnett stated that he played baseball with Shaq at Fenway Park alongside Rajon Rondo, Garnett’s teammate on the Boston Celtics. All three of the superstars did very well during the game, but Shaq emerged as victor. As Garnett recalled the story, he told of how Shaq hit a ball over the Green Monster — a feat that many in the MLB haven’t been able to accomplish!
No doubt that the story will help boost Shaq’s rep as an all-star, all-around athlete. Basketball aside, that reputation took a bit of a hit after he aired his reality show, Shaq Vs. The show was a challenge for Shaq, where he tried to beat athletic greats at their own game. Unfortunately, the show portrayed that the giant was just really quite awkward and clumsy on any other playing field than a basketball court. Now though, if this story from Kevin Garnett proves to be more than just fiction, Shaq may have conquered another sport too. If nothing else, it’s a great story to begin his retirement!
Will Chris Johnson be playing by the Weekend?
The stalemate between running back Chris Johnson and his team, the Tennessee Titans, has been going on for some time; and we’ve all watched as Johnson demanded more and the Titans refused to give it to him. Even a meeting last week did little to speed things along and get anything down in ink. But now, hope may be on the horizon and some say, Johnson could be back playing for the Titans as early as this weekend.
The weekend may actually be a bit early. The Titans’ NFL season opener is still eleven days away after all, and most experts and analysts agree that it will at least take a few games into the regular season to sort it out. But talk has begun with a meeting held between Johnson, his agent Joel Segal, and Titans execs being held yesterday. The Titans now have a firm offer of what they’re willing to give Johnson, but the problem seems to be on Johnson’s end. He needs to realize that he’s a running back and that as far as that position goes, the offer on the table is the best any RB has ever been offered.
The Titans have said that they’ll make Johnson the highest-paid RB in the league, and that they’re willing to give him $10 to $11 million with $1.065 million being offered this year. The remainder would then be paid out next year after which, he’d be free to leave the team and play for anyone he cares for. Of course the question remains whether or not, with the short career span of football players, Johnson will still be playing, or still worth that money, at that time.
So nothing is firmed up just yet and yes, hoping to see Johnston playing for the Titans this weekend is probably a bit optimistic. Still, talks do seem to be bringing things closer and it looks as though it might just be a matter of weeks before we see the Titans’ best player return to the field.
