Chicago
Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica
Sports Quote of the Day:
"You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take." ~ NHL Hockey Great, Wayne Gretzky
Best of the NCAA tournament: Day 1.
By Kevin Kaduk
2. Louisville and Gonzaga ran the all-time record of No. 1 seeds over No. 16 seeds to a perfect 114-0, but they did it in dramatically different ways. While the Cardinals romped their way to a 31-point win over North Carolina A&T, the Zags needed two late three-pointers to hold off Southern. Gonzaga is more than happy to advance, but it wasn't an encouraging performance by any means. No top seed who only beat a team by single digits has ever won the NCAA title.
3. It was a good day to be a twelve seed from the Pac-12 as both Oregon and California recorded upsets with a pair of wins over Oklahoma State and UNLV. Arizona's win over Belmont gave the conference a perfect 3-for-3 day with Colorado and UCLA getting the chance to continue the Pac-12's unblemished run on Friday.
4. Have we seen the last of Jamie Dixon on Pittsburgh's sideline? The coach has been the subject of rumors when it comes to USC's vacancy and Panthers fans may have reached the point where they won't care if he walks. That's because a 73-55 loss to Wichita State marked yet another disappointing March exit for Dixon and the coach's tournament record now stands at 10-9 since 2003. Dixon was asked about his future after the game, but deflected after watching an emotional press conference from senior Tray Woodall. "I just had my point guard break down here and it's the farthest thing from my mind," he said.
5. Speaking of coaches who have long been coveted by fans in Southern California, Shaka Smart led his VCU team to a 46-point blowout of Akron. Your move, Ben Howland.
Top-seeded Louisville coasted to a 79-48 victory over 16th-seeded North Carolina A&T, though you'd never have known it after watching Rick Pitino.
(Getty Images)
Looking like an extra from the set of the new Gatsby flick, Butler benchman Andrew Smeathers achieved a small measure of Internet fame after he did the "three monocle" during his team's 68-56 win over Bucknell.
New Mexico State's Pistol Pete has a sweet pair of chaps, two silver pistols and two cheerleaders on each arm. What he does not have is a chance to defend this title on Saturday as the Aggies lost 64-44 to a tough St. Louis squad.
(Getty Images)
Best of the NCAA tournament: Day 1.
By Kevin Kaduk
1. There weren't any buzzer beaters we'll
remember forever, but that doesn't mean the first day of the tournament was a
bust. Harvard, a fourteen seed, won the school's first tournament game and
forced a premature end to New Mexico's sexy candidacy for the Final Four.
Marquette crushed Davidson's upset dreams with a late surge in the last 30
seconds while Memphis and St. Mary's staged a close matchup that was highlighted
by
DJ Stephens' monster dunks. Wichita State used a strong victory to advance
to a Saturday matchup against what looks to be a vulnerable Gonzaga team. Yes,
16 games in and it looks like we're in for a great three weeks of
basketball.
2. Louisville and Gonzaga ran the all-time record of No. 1 seeds over No. 16 seeds to a perfect 114-0, but they did it in dramatically different ways. While the Cardinals romped their way to a 31-point win over North Carolina A&T, the Zags needed two late three-pointers to hold off Southern. Gonzaga is more than happy to advance, but it wasn't an encouraging performance by any means. No top seed who only beat a team by single digits has ever won the NCAA title.
3. It was a good day to be a twelve seed from the Pac-12 as both Oregon and California recorded upsets with a pair of wins over Oklahoma State and UNLV. Arizona's win over Belmont gave the conference a perfect 3-for-3 day with Colorado and UCLA getting the chance to continue the Pac-12's unblemished run on Friday.
4. Have we seen the last of Jamie Dixon on Pittsburgh's sideline? The coach has been the subject of rumors when it comes to USC's vacancy and Panthers fans may have reached the point where they won't care if he walks. That's because a 73-55 loss to Wichita State marked yet another disappointing March exit for Dixon and the coach's tournament record now stands at 10-9 since 2003. Dixon was asked about his future after the game, but deflected after watching an emotional press conference from senior Tray Woodall. "I just had my point guard break down here and it's the farthest thing from my mind," he said.
5. Speaking of coaches who have long been coveted by fans in Southern California, Shaka Smart led his VCU team to a 46-point blowout of Akron. Your move, Ben Howland.
Top-seeded Louisville coasted to a 79-48 victory over 16th-seeded North Carolina A&T, though you'd never have known it after watching Rick Pitino.
(Getty Images)
Looking like an extra from the set of the new Gatsby flick, Butler benchman Andrew Smeathers achieved a small measure of Internet fame after he did the "three monocle" during his team's 68-56 win over Bucknell.
"I'm trying to get paid here soon because I'm tired of doing all this stuff for free ... This is where you make your money, the NCAA tournament." ~ Mississippi guard Marshall Henderson
New Mexico State's Pistol Pete has a sweet pair of chaps, two silver pistols and two cheerleaders on each arm. What he does not have is a chance to defend this title on Saturday as the Aggies lost 64-44 to a tough St. Louis squad.
(Getty Images)How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Ducks rally past Chicago in top 2 teams' clash.
By
Jonas Hiller stopped 22 shots, and Peter Holland and Sheldon Souray scored as the Ducks extended their franchise-record home winning streak to 13 games in dramatic fashion.
Anaheim (22-3-4) pulled within three points of Chicago atop the overall NHL standings by dealing the Blackhawks just their third regulation loss of the season.
Nick Leddy scored a power-play goal and captain Jonathan Toews scored an early short-handed goal for the Blackhawks (24-3-3), who lost in regulation after entering the third period with a lead for the first time in 19 games this season.
The largest crowd in Honda Center history was packed with boisterous fans of both teams for a prominent game in this lockout-shortened year. Two clubs with a points percentage above .800 had never met this late in an NHL season, and they lived up to their pedigrees in a fast-paced game showcasing their skill and tenacity.
Corey Crawford made 22 saves for the Blackhawks, who appeared to be headed for a 2-1 road victory until Anaheim scored three times in stunning fashion. Getzlaf first fed Ryan on a rush for the tying goal with 5:27 to play, and the Anaheim captain then set up the 42-year-old Selanne for his 670th career goal with 4:23 left.
Souray added an empty-net goal in the final minute for Anaheim, which has earned points in 12 straight games (9-0-3).
Chicago has earned 51 of a possible 60 points in its first 30 games this season, but Anaheim is responsible for a third of those missed points after this win and a 3-2 shootout victory at the United Center last month. The Ducks and Blackhawks finish their regular-season series March 29 in Chicago.
With a brilliant start to the year after missing last season's playoffs, Anaheim would be the talk of the NHL if not for Chicago's astonishing start of its own. Getzlaf, Selanne and the Ducks held the NHL record with a 16-game points streak to start the season in 2006-07 until Chicago obliterated it this year.
Both teams played this showdown without key offensive components. Right wing Corey Perry, who scored Anaheim's shootout winner in Chicago last month, sat out the final game of his four-game suspension for an illegal hit, while Blackhawks right wing Marian Hossa is sidelined with an upper-body injury from Monday's win at Colorado. Chicago's Patrick Sharp also missed his sixth game with an apparent shoulder injury.
Just 84 seconds into the first period, Holland alertly collected the rebound of Luca Sbisa's shot off the back boards and beat Crawford for his second goal in two games. Anaheim went on the power play shortly afterward, but Toews blocked Souray's big shot and outskated three Ducks for the rebound, beating Hiller with a sharp move for his 15th goal.
Leddy put the Blackhawks ahead on his 22nd birthday during a power play midway through the second period, firing a long slap shot through Viktor Stalberg's screen into a sliver of open net.
The Blackhawks appeared to extend their lead when Brandon Bollig scored in front of Hiller with 14:03 to play, but video review confirmed Bollig kicked the puck into the net with his right skate.
Anaheim finally broke through when Getzlaf brought the puck down the wing and fed it in front to Ryan, who banged it through Kyle Palmieri's screen for his ninth goal. Moments later, Selanne ended a nine-game goal drought with a slick shot in close.
NOTES: Anaheim's Andrew Cogliano skated to the dressing room with a bloody mouth after the faceoff following Selanne's goal when Bollig clipped him with a high stick. Bollig wasn't called for a penalty on the play. ... The goal was Leddy's fourth of the season after getting just three in 82 games last year. ... Longtime Blackhawks fan Vince Vaughn and Orange County native Matt Barkley attended the game, both wearing jerseys.
NFL passes helmet rule, ends tuck rule.
By
Team owners passed a player safety rule Wednesday barring ball carriers from using the crown of their helmets to make forcible contact with a defender in the open field. Pittsburgh Steelers President Art Rooney put the change succinctly.
''Jim Brown never lowered his head,'' he said with a smile. ''It can be done.''
And according to the rules, it must be done beginning this season.
The second significant player safety rule passed this week to help protect defensive players came with much debate. Several coaches and team executives expressed concern about officiating the new rule, but Commissioner Roger Goodell championed it and it passed 31-1. Cincinnati voted no.
On Tuesday, the league took the peel-back block out of the game.
The changes were the latest involving safety, and head injuries in particular, with the issue receiving heightened attention amid hundreds of lawsuits filed by former players claiming that the NFL did not do enough to prevent concussions in years past. League officials have defended the NFL's record and did so again on Wednesday.
''I have always thought that player safety has been at the forefront of our discussion for a long, long time,'' said Atlanta Falcons President Rich McKay, co-chairman of the competition committee that recommends rule changes. ''The game has gotten safer over time. Where we have really focused is on the big hits, the open field hits and hits where players truly can't defend themselves. In this step that we are taking we are trying to protect the player from himself with respect to this rule.''
The tuck rule, one of the most criticized in pro football, was eliminated. Now, if a quarterback loses control of the ball before he has fully protected it after opting not to throw, it is a fumble.
The Steelers were the only team to vote against getting rid of the tuck rule. New England and Washington abstained.
Peel-back blocks had been legal inside the tackle box, but now players can't turn back toward their goal line and block an opponent low from behind anywhere on the field.
Video review now will be allowed when a coach challenges a play that he is not allowed to. But the coach will be penalized or lose a timeout, depending on when he threw the challenge flag.
That change stems from Houston's Thanksgiving victory over Detroit in which Lions coach Jim Schwartz challenged a touchdown run by the Texans' Justin Forsett. Although officials clearly missed Forsett being down by contact before breaking free on the 81-yard run, when Schwartz threw the red flag on a scoring play that automatically is reviewed, the referee could not go to replay.
That loophole has been eliminated.
Goodell was eager to get approved the competition committee's proposal to outlaw use of the crown of the helmet by ball carriers, and there was talk the vote would be tabled until May if the rule change didn't have enough support.
But after watching videos of the play that clearly showed the differences in legal and illegal moves by ball carriers, the owners voted yes - and then applauded the decision, something Rams coach Jeff Fisher said is ''rare.''
''We had discussions with the players association and the players themselves, the coaches' subcommittee,'' said Fisher, co-chairman of the competition committee. ''A lot of people talked to us about this rule and how to roll it out in our game.''
The penalty will be 15 yards from the spot of the foul, and if the offensive and defensive players both lower their heads and use the crown of the helmet to make contact, each will be penalized.
''It'll certainly make our runners aware of what we expect relative to use of the helmet,'' Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. ''One of the questions I ask a lot is who gains from this, offense or defense? And it's a toss-up as to which side of the ball has the advantage on this rule, if any. The main thing is it's pro-health and safety, and that's the big thing.''
The owners discussed simply using fines on ball carriers to eliminate the tactic, but instead voted to make the rule change.
Follow Up: NFL's safety measures will usher in new styles.
By Frank Cooney
The truth on consequences created by the NFL's new
Crown-of-Helmet rule will not be fully realized for some time, perhaps several
seasons.
However, even before the change is played out on the field, enlightened conjecture on potential ramifications yields troubling and fascinating possibilities. They include a different series of troubling injuries and a more exciting exhibition of talent in the open field, the NFL's version of "Dancing with The Stars."
The rule prohibits ballcarriers and tacklers from initiating contact with the crown of their helmet when they are outside the tackle box. This should not affect those brutal, head-on collisions between the tackles on short-yardage and goal-line plays. But beyond that, literally, there could be dramatic changes.
Pitched as a safety measure to limit concussions, it could result in a trade off of those neurological concerns for a myriad of other injuries, including legs, hips, knees, ribs and a possible increase in paralysis from compacted spines, which would be ironic considering the original purpose of the rule.
From a game play standpoint, ball-carriers and tacklers may adopt new mannerisms that could result in more exciting open-field plays -- or boring increase in players opting to run out of bounds.
As expected, initial reaction from retired and active running backs is mostly negative. The idea of being penalized -- 15 yards and possibly a few thousand dollars -- for executing a move that is almost intuitive or second nature to many runners is not easy to embrace.
Hall of Fame running backs Emmitt Smith and Marshall Faulk are adamantly against it, calling it "ridiculous" and claiming it will change how the game is played.
Ridiculous or not, the intent of the rule is indeed to change how the game is played, which could be a dramatic difference for some and almost no difference for others.
It all comes down to a matter of style.
Some of the best running backs in NFL history did not rely on their helmet to barge for extra yardage. They used some combination of agility, guile, quickness, shoulders, straight arms, toughness and will to keep going.
Helmets do not come to mind when recalling the great runs of Jim Brown, Gale Sayers, Barry Sanders, O.J. Simpson, Eric Dickerson, Tony Dorsett, Marcus Allen, Curtis Martin, Eddie George, Adrian Peterson and Franco Harris.
Brown ran through, bounced off or straight-armed defenders and Peterson's style is similar.
"I didn't use my head," said Brown, now 77 and fit for a fight in appearance. "I used my forearm, the palm of my hand and my shoulder - and my shoulder pads. I wasn't putting my head into too much of anything. I don't think that's a good idea."
Sayers combined vision with graceful and stunning lateral agility, as did Allen.
Simpson was similar, but with world class speed. Dorsett, Dickerson, Martin, George all avoided contact while seeking a crease, then took one cut and were gone. Harris gathered as many yards as his blocking allowed, then ran out of bounds. And Sanders, well, you just had to see it to believe it.
This in not to say helmets were not a primary weapon of some of the greatest runners in NFL history.
Emmitt Smith, the career record-holder with 18,355 yards, admits his helmet was part of his arsenal.
"I used anything and everything I could to keep going," Smith said. "If that meant putting my helmet into a defender, that's what I did."
The late, great Walter Payton also used anything and everything to gain the second most yards in NFL history, 16,726.
Most of the NFL's greatest power runners often lowered the crown of their helmet to blast through defenders. They include Earl Campbell, John Riggins, Larry Csonka, Jim Taylor, Jerome Bettis, Marion Motely, Bronco Nagurski, Christian Okoye and Mike Alstott.
How would they have done if they played under the constraints of this new rule? Hard to say.
Campbell, at least, had extraordinary speed and thighs the size of redwood trees. He would be a nightmare to tackle in any era, under any rules and probably even with no helmet at all. Not coincidentally, the great former Houston Oiler -- the man legend known as the Tyler Rose -- is now able to get around only with the help of a cane or a walker.
With all that in mind, including the consequences paid by Campbell, it will be interesting to see if and how players react to the new crown-of-helmet rule. That includes ballcarriers and tacklers.
Imagine a ballcarrier 15 yards downfield on a collision course with a safety in the middle of the field. Mindful of the new rule, the back might remain erect while approaching the defender. Likewise, the safety would keep his head and body up.
Instead of a helmet-to-helmet collision, there might be a matchup with more finesse, balance, lateral agility and guile. And there it is, the NFL's version of "Dancing with the Stars."
Of course they might still simply collide legally, leading with their shoulders and keeping their heads and helmets up and more or less out of the way. We might see more of those old textbook tackles that involve shoulders, arms, wrapping up, pulling in, slamming to the ground.
Yet with the helmet out of the way as an instrument of destruction and concussions, there could be a proliferation of other injuries. Keeping one's head up shortens the spine, creating the possibility of increased compaction injuries that lead to temporary or permanent paralysis. Some reports indicate that former New England Patriots receiver Darryl Stingley had his head up and was braced for impact when he was paralyzed by his mid-are collision with Oakland Raiders safety Jack Tatum in the 1970s.
Less ominous, but still worthy of concern, might be the potential increase of injuries to the ribs, legs, knees and, in fact, the entire anatomy below the neck that will now be the legal target area for defenders.
One thing is certain. If officials and players abide by this new rule, the art, science and brutality of running and tackling will change in some respects and, like everything else, the game will evolve. But based on the NFL's history of great runners, players will just find another way to get the job done.
However, even before the change is played out on the field, enlightened conjecture on potential ramifications yields troubling and fascinating possibilities. They include a different series of troubling injuries and a more exciting exhibition of talent in the open field, the NFL's version of "Dancing with The Stars."
The rule prohibits ballcarriers and tacklers from initiating contact with the crown of their helmet when they are outside the tackle box. This should not affect those brutal, head-on collisions between the tackles on short-yardage and goal-line plays. But beyond that, literally, there could be dramatic changes.
Pitched as a safety measure to limit concussions, it could result in a trade off of those neurological concerns for a myriad of other injuries, including legs, hips, knees, ribs and a possible increase in paralysis from compacted spines, which would be ironic considering the original purpose of the rule.
From a game play standpoint, ball-carriers and tacklers may adopt new mannerisms that could result in more exciting open-field plays -- or boring increase in players opting to run out of bounds.
As expected, initial reaction from retired and active running backs is mostly negative. The idea of being penalized -- 15 yards and possibly a few thousand dollars -- for executing a move that is almost intuitive or second nature to many runners is not easy to embrace.
Hall of Fame running backs Emmitt Smith and Marshall Faulk are adamantly against it, calling it "ridiculous" and claiming it will change how the game is played.
Ridiculous or not, the intent of the rule is indeed to change how the game is played, which could be a dramatic difference for some and almost no difference for others.
It all comes down to a matter of style.
Some of the best running backs in NFL history did not rely on their helmet to barge for extra yardage. They used some combination of agility, guile, quickness, shoulders, straight arms, toughness and will to keep going.
Helmets do not come to mind when recalling the great runs of Jim Brown, Gale Sayers, Barry Sanders, O.J. Simpson, Eric Dickerson, Tony Dorsett, Marcus Allen, Curtis Martin, Eddie George, Adrian Peterson and Franco Harris.
Brown ran through, bounced off or straight-armed defenders and Peterson's style is similar.
"I didn't use my head," said Brown, now 77 and fit for a fight in appearance. "I used my forearm, the palm of my hand and my shoulder - and my shoulder pads. I wasn't putting my head into too much of anything. I don't think that's a good idea."
Sayers combined vision with graceful and stunning lateral agility, as did Allen.
Simpson was similar, but with world class speed. Dorsett, Dickerson, Martin, George all avoided contact while seeking a crease, then took one cut and were gone. Harris gathered as many yards as his blocking allowed, then ran out of bounds. And Sanders, well, you just had to see it to believe it.
This in not to say helmets were not a primary weapon of some of the greatest runners in NFL history.
Emmitt Smith, the career record-holder with 18,355 yards, admits his helmet was part of his arsenal.
"I used anything and everything I could to keep going," Smith said. "If that meant putting my helmet into a defender, that's what I did."
The late, great Walter Payton also used anything and everything to gain the second most yards in NFL history, 16,726.
Most of the NFL's greatest power runners often lowered the crown of their helmet to blast through defenders. They include Earl Campbell, John Riggins, Larry Csonka, Jim Taylor, Jerome Bettis, Marion Motely, Bronco Nagurski, Christian Okoye and Mike Alstott.
How would they have done if they played under the constraints of this new rule? Hard to say.
Campbell, at least, had extraordinary speed and thighs the size of redwood trees. He would be a nightmare to tackle in any era, under any rules and probably even with no helmet at all. Not coincidentally, the great former Houston Oiler -- the man legend known as the Tyler Rose -- is now able to get around only with the help of a cane or a walker.
With all that in mind, including the consequences paid by Campbell, it will be interesting to see if and how players react to the new crown-of-helmet rule. That includes ballcarriers and tacklers.
Imagine a ballcarrier 15 yards downfield on a collision course with a safety in the middle of the field. Mindful of the new rule, the back might remain erect while approaching the defender. Likewise, the safety would keep his head and body up.
Instead of a helmet-to-helmet collision, there might be a matchup with more finesse, balance, lateral agility and guile. And there it is, the NFL's version of "Dancing with the Stars."
Of course they might still simply collide legally, leading with their shoulders and keeping their heads and helmets up and more or less out of the way. We might see more of those old textbook tackles that involve shoulders, arms, wrapping up, pulling in, slamming to the ground.
Yet with the helmet out of the way as an instrument of destruction and concussions, there could be a proliferation of other injuries. Keeping one's head up shortens the spine, creating the possibility of increased compaction injuries that lead to temporary or permanent paralysis. Some reports indicate that former New England Patriots receiver Darryl Stingley had his head up and was braced for impact when he was paralyzed by his mid-are collision with Oakland Raiders safety Jack Tatum in the 1970s.
Less ominous, but still worthy of concern, might be the potential increase of injuries to the ribs, legs, knees and, in fact, the entire anatomy below the neck that will now be the legal target area for defenders.
One thing is certain. If officials and players abide by this new rule, the art, science and brutality of running and tackling will change in some respects and, like everything else, the game will evolve. But based on the NFL's history of great runners, players will just find another way to get the job done.
Arnold Palmer states case for putter rules.
By
In a wide-ranging press conference Wednesday, Palmer referred to anchoring the club against the body as a ''contraption.'' He says his hope is that golf would continue to be unified under one set of rules, and those rules would ban a long putter that is ''hooked'' to the body.
The PGA Tour and PGA of America are against the proposed rule that would outlaw anchored strokes. Golf's ruling bodies are expected to announce soon whether they will go ahead with it.
Palmer also says he was surprised Rory McIlroy is not playing the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.
Five NHL rule changes GMs should recommend at their fancy meeting.
By Greg Wyshynski
The National Hockey League’s general managers are meeting in Toronto on Wednesday to discuss the very future of the sport. And by that we mean everyone gets a few minutes to tell their peers what’s sticking in their craw this season, they propose a solution, everyone humors it and then nothing happens …
But let’s say something did come out of this year’s meetings; some recommendations to be passed along to the Competition Committee and then the Board of Governors. What would you like to see?
Here are five things the NHL GMs should recommend, all of them common sense and all of them better for the NHL.
1. Ban Spin-o-Ramas in the Shootout
Or just ban the shootout altogether because it’s an affront to both logic and the virtues of hockey. But if we have to have it for SportsCenter highlights, then let’s agree to dump its most controversial aspect: The spin-o-rama.
We’ve been debating its validity for years, and every month brings another moment of controversy, with Mason Raymond’s attempt against the Columbus Blue Jackets as the latest. Despite not exactly in keeping with the “puck moving forward at all times” thing, the NHL allows them as long as the move “involves continuous motion.”
Eliminate the spin-o-rama, and you eliminate a vast majority of the controversies we have in the shootout.
(But, again, the skills competition is such a ridiculous exercise in artifice that players should be able to shoot three pucks at the same time while firing a blow torch at the goalie’s face. You know, for entertainment’s sake.)
2. Hybrid Icing
For the uninitiated, this would transform icing into a race to the hash marks in the defensive zone; icing would be called as soon as the defensive player has the advantage – or is even – in the race to the end boards. No more shoves from behind or femur-shattering collisions at rink’s end.
It’s something that GMs like Steve Tambellini and especially Chuck Fletcher see as a common sense move, and it is: Hybrid icing helps prevent potentially catastrophic injuries while maintaining the visceral thrill of two players desperately chasing the puck. We’re still not sure how there’s opposition to that.
Speaking of icing …
3. Enough With Sneaky Delays of the Game
Every team knows how to earn its exhausted players some extra time to rest, whether it’s a goalie that needs an “equipment adjustment” or a player spending an extra second or 10 on the ice after an “injury.”
One trend in the NHL that’s been bugging me is on icing calls. It’s when teams empty their benches with players on a line change that legally can’t happen now that the defending team has iced the puck.
But rather than have five exhausted players immediately report to the faceoff dot near their goaltender to do the dance again, on-ice officials have to comb through a group of players to determine who needs to remain on the ice or back on the bench.
It’s a sneaky little move that I’ve seen employed by coaches like Peter Laviollette of the Philadelphia Flyers and Guy Boucher of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and has its roots in the mind of the late Roger Nielsen, that mad genius of rule-bending.
Defensive exhaustion leads to offensive chances. There’s no more established truth in hockey than that. So giving defensive players that extra time as this line change is sorted out is counter-intuitive to the icing rule that, frankly, is one of the better ones the NHL has passed.
Hit’em with a delay of game minor. Now we’re talking instant offense.
Of course, it doesn't stop there. As Jesse Spector noted on The Sporting News, teams are buying time in the faceoff dot as well by using wingers to take draws only to get tossed out of the circle:
“On every icing, the winger goes in (for the draw) and gets thrown out on purpose,” Islanders coach Jack Capuano said. “You see that everywhere you go. He’s getting thrown out so the center can take the draw and it buys five more seconds (after a team is not allowed to make a line change following an icing). That should be a rule that they should look at. That happens all the time. The officials, if they see something, a guy cheating once or twice, they’ve got to throw him out. I’ve got no problem with it.”
It's all a sneaky little delay.
Speaking of delay of game …
4. ‘Common Sense’ Puck Over The Glass
The moment I realized the “puck over the glass” delay of game penalty was idiotic was when I witnessed Matt Cooke of the Pittsburgh Penguins get a 2-minute minor after he shot the puck from his own end over the glass at the other end of the rink. Because, you know, that’s exactly where players are going to put the puck to delay the game. Yup.
Down Goes Brown picked apart this rule rather adeptly on Grantland, but came to the same conclusion I have:
The NHL wants more offense, but they can’t seem to figure out how to accomplish that at even strength. So why not add a nonsensical penalty that seems to have been specifically designed to create more power-play goals? Scoring goes up a little, everyone high-fives, and if we’re lucky nobody will mention that the rule is completely arbitrary and unfair.
In summary: It’s a rule that probably isn’t going to change, despite being awful, because it creates offense. And I’ve heard from enough coaches and GMs that are convince that it has actually decreased intentional pucks over the glass, whether or not that was an epidemic to begin with.
So if the rule isn’t going anywhere, let’s at least inject some common sense into the rule: Amend Rule 63.2 to give the referee some level of discretion on whether a player intentionally cleared the puck over the glass or simply misfired it.
We all see the games. We all know the difference. If you’re beef is that this turns referees into mind-readers … well, then we might as well take boarding majors away from them too.
5. Coach’s Challenge
As we’ve written this year: It’s beyond time for a limited coach’s challenge in the NHL. The technology is there to make reviews of plays efficient. The need is there for some check or balanced to be in place for game-changing calls like goalie interference on a scoring play or high-sticking double-minors in which one teammate cuts another.
As long as we limit them to one per game with consequences for teams that waste our time – a delay of the game minor, for example – they won’t become egregiously used.
What do you want to see the GMs recommend this week? What's your take?
‘Racism is a dangerous disease’ - Kevin-Prince Boateng.
By Miles Chambers
AC Milan midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng has described racism as a
“dangerous disease” that must be stamped out.
The Ghana international unintentionally hit the headlines in January when he
initiated a walk-off in a winter break friendly against Pro Patria after
suffering racist abuse from supporters in the stands.
"There have been moments in my life when I didn't wish to face the problem. I
tried to ignore it as if it was a headache that would sooner or later go away. I
just had to wait," he said in a UN address in Geneva.
“That, however, is an illusion. It won't go away by itself. We have a duty to
face racism and to fight it.
“The concept ‘a bit racist' doesn't exist. There are no tolerable quantities
of racism. It's unacceptable regardless of where it happens or the form that it
takes.
“Stadia can be places where people of different color come to support their
teams or they can be seen as stagnant areas where healthy people will be
infected by racism. We can't allow this to happen before our very eyes.
“Football stadia, like other places, are full of young people. If we don't
fight the stagnation, many of those who are healthy today, could become infected
with one of the most dangerous diseases of our time."
Boateng thanked his Milan teammates for leaving the pitch with him against
Pro Patria earlier in 2013.
“I decided to stop the game and kick the ball into the stands as I felt
profoundly angry and offended by the racist insults directed at me from the
stands,” he continued.
“That gesture alone would not have had any particular resonance. My
teammates, however, immediately followed me off the pitch without a moment's
hesitation.
“The fact that the entire team had taken such an equivocal step against
racism made news headlines the world over. That's why I'm here today. It's an
honor for me to have the chance to speak here today.”
Heat run streak to 24
with huge comeback vs. Cavs.
By
LeBron
James wouldn't give up.
''That guy right there doesn't want to lose in this building,'' teammate Dwayne Wade said, nodding toward James. ''Not tonight.''
James scored 25 points as the Heat overcame a 27-point deficit in the third quarter and won their 24th straight game, 98-95 over the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night to extend the second-longest winning streak in NBA history.
The Heat are within nine games of matching the record of 33 consecutive wins held by the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers. Once believed to be untouchable, the mark is now within reach.
James and his teammates have insisted the record isn't one of their goals, and for more than 30 minutes the defending champions seemed disinterested and on the verge of losing for the first time since Feb. 1. Miami trailed 67-40 with 7:44 left in the third quarter.
But behind the irrepressible James, who added 12 rebounds and 10 assists in 42 minutes, the Heat inched closer to history and matched the NBA's biggest comeback this season, according to STATS.
''This was one of the most bizarre, unique days of my life with everything that happened,'' said James, referring to a homecoming in which a fan ran onto the floor and the opening tip was delayed 35 minutes by a leaky scoreboard. ''It also was one of the best comebacks I've ever been a part of.''
James had 14 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals in the fourth as Miami rallied to win for the second game in a row. The Heat were down 17 points - 13 in the fourth quarter - and stormed back to beat Boston 105-103 on Monday and surpass the 2007-08 Houston Rockets for the second-longest streak in NBA history.
''I knew there was a lot of time, so we never panicked,'' James said. ''We were down 27 with 18 minutes left. That's a lifetime in basketball.''
Although the Cavs were missing All-Star guard Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters and Anderson Varejao - their top three scorers - they pushed Miami to the limit.
It wasn't until James, playing his fourth game back in Cleveland since leaving as a free agent in 2010, made two free throws with 4.7 seconds left that Miami could relax, but just a little. The Cavs had one last chance to tie it, but C.J. Miles was long with a 3-pointer in the final second, letting Miami off the hook.
Following the game, James stopped to sign a few autographs as he made his way to Miami's locker room. This was much tougher than he and the Heat could have imagined. The win also completed a five-game road trip, dubbed ''The Reunion Tour'' by James because Miami visited Wade's home in Milwaukee, Chris Bosh's former team in Toronto and Ray Allen's in Boston.
''The streak wasn't on my mind, but us getting blown out was,'' James said. ''I was going to be the only guy to take an 'L' on the reunion tour.''
Mario Chalmers added 17 points and Wade had 11 for the Heat, who outscored the Cavs 30-18 in the fourth quarter and 64-40 in the second half.
Wayne Ellington had 20 points and Tristan Thompson 18 for Cleveland, which went from a stunning upset to blowing the biggest lead in a loss in franchise history.
''We knew it was coming,'' Thompson said of the Heat's comeback. ''They were the NBA champions last season. They're not going to lay down. Champions don't lay down even when they're down by 27. We knew they were going to make a push. Guys went out and made plays, so you have to give them credit.''
Down by nine to open the fourth, the Heat were up 95-86 with 3:02 left and seemed to have the Cavaliers on the ropes.
But Cleveland bounced back and closed to 96-95 on Thompson's two free throws with 44 seconds to go. Wade then missed a jumper, but Ellington misfired on a step-back 23-footer with 5.2 seconds to go.
James was fouled and the reigning MVP, with a sellout crowd of 20,562 roaring, stepped to the line and dropped both free throws to make it 98-95.
Miles was contested on his final shot, and once it clanked off the rim, the Heat headed home with a chance to extend their streak to 25 on Friday against Detroit.
This game had a little of everything, including a fan running on the floor in the fourth quarter. The young man was wearing a T-shirt that said: ''We Miss You, 2014 Come Back,'' a reference to James' possible free agency and return to Cleveland, where he played seven seasons.
James went out of his way and patted the fan on the head as security rushed him off the floor.
''He said he missed me and come back, please,'' James said. ''It happened once before in (Madison Square) Garden, so I wasn't worried. There are metal detectors here, so we were OK. I embraced it.''
The start of the game was delayed because of a spill on the floor caused by condensation from a carbon dioxide container inside the scoreboard.
James scored eight straight points to open the fourth, hitting a 3-pointer to tie it 77-all. He then turned toward the crowd and delivered an icy stare, his way of saying, 'OK, enough is enough.'
''When he made that one and turned to the crowd,'' Wade said, ''you knew it was coming.''
NOTES: Starting with the Cavs, Miami's next 10 games are against opponents with a combined winning percentage of just .399. ... The Heat play the Pistons and Charlotte at home before going to Orlando, Chicago, New Orleans and San Antonio. ... It was the first time Miami overcame a 21-point halftime deficit to win. ... The Cavs will wait a week before they evaluate Waiters, who has loose cartilage, and decide whether he needs surgery. Cleveland coach Byron Scott hopes his young guard comes back in the final month. ''If he gets back, I'll be thrilled to death,'' Scott said. ... Miami's three wins over Cleveland this season have been by a total of nine points.
Jurgen Klinsmann: Criticism shows that people care about USA soccer program.
By Mike Slane
For Jurgen Klinsmann and the United States men's national team, any press is good press.
Ahead of Friday's World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, the U.S. coach addressed a recent investigative report by the Sporting News that quoted several anonymous players voicing their frustration with his style and coaching acumen.
"I don't have any problems with that," Klinsmann said. "Obviously, I prefer if anyone has any type of problem with me that they will talk to me about it rather than these so-called anonymous quotes that you don't know who actually said it."
Klinsmann went on to say that questioning the coach's decisions is common in the sport and shows that there's a growing interest the success of the national team program.
"It's just part of our environment," he added. "I think people should be able to say how they feel and what they believe. I think it's a great sign that all the debate is going on in soccer now in this country. It shows you that people care."
Klinsmann's tactics had been brought into question after the U.S. struggled at times during the semifinal stage of qualifying followed by a loss against Honduras in the Hexagonal opener. The team appears to be lacking chemistry as Klinsmann has used 23 different lineups in his 23 games in charge.
The Sporting News report was released shortly after Klinsmann made one of his most controversial decisions to date by leaving captain Carlos Bocanegra off the latest roster. Klinsmann instead will use a very inexperienced back line against Costa Rica and Mexico in place of Bocanegra, who is a healthy scratch.
"At the end of the day I've got to decide which 23 will go down to Brazil (for the World Cup)," Klinsmann said. "Which 23 are the hungriest, most dedicated and best players we have."
Clint Dempsey will captain the team over the next two games for only the second time in his international career. The Tottenham forward has yet to address his teammates regarding the anonymous quotes, and it sounds like he's ready to put the controversy in the rear-view mirror.
"The most important thing is the game," Dempsey said. "I'm focusing on that match and making sure we get the three points, making sure we put ourselves in a good position in the table and gain confidence from a good result so that we can go on a good run of form."
Last year, Klinsmann led the Americans to a program-best 9-2-3 record, including a win over Mexico at the Estadio Azteca. However, it is believed that poor results against Costa Rica and Mexico could lead to the U.S. team looking for a new coach.
"The pressure is always there, that's what you live with," Klinsmann said. "The more expectations, the more pressure is there. That means people care about it, and I think that's great."
''That guy right there doesn't want to lose in this building,'' teammate Dwayne Wade said, nodding toward James. ''Not tonight.''
James scored 25 points as the Heat overcame a 27-point deficit in the third quarter and won their 24th straight game, 98-95 over the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night to extend the second-longest winning streak in NBA history.
The Heat are within nine games of matching the record of 33 consecutive wins held by the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers. Once believed to be untouchable, the mark is now within reach.
James and his teammates have insisted the record isn't one of their goals, and for more than 30 minutes the defending champions seemed disinterested and on the verge of losing for the first time since Feb. 1. Miami trailed 67-40 with 7:44 left in the third quarter.
But behind the irrepressible James, who added 12 rebounds and 10 assists in 42 minutes, the Heat inched closer to history and matched the NBA's biggest comeback this season, according to STATS.
''This was one of the most bizarre, unique days of my life with everything that happened,'' said James, referring to a homecoming in which a fan ran onto the floor and the opening tip was delayed 35 minutes by a leaky scoreboard. ''It also was one of the best comebacks I've ever been a part of.''
James had 14 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals in the fourth as Miami rallied to win for the second game in a row. The Heat were down 17 points - 13 in the fourth quarter - and stormed back to beat Boston 105-103 on Monday and surpass the 2007-08 Houston Rockets for the second-longest streak in NBA history.
''I knew there was a lot of time, so we never panicked,'' James said. ''We were down 27 with 18 minutes left. That's a lifetime in basketball.''
Although the Cavs were missing All-Star guard Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters and Anderson Varejao - their top three scorers - they pushed Miami to the limit.
It wasn't until James, playing his fourth game back in Cleveland since leaving as a free agent in 2010, made two free throws with 4.7 seconds left that Miami could relax, but just a little. The Cavs had one last chance to tie it, but C.J. Miles was long with a 3-pointer in the final second, letting Miami off the hook.
Following the game, James stopped to sign a few autographs as he made his way to Miami's locker room. This was much tougher than he and the Heat could have imagined. The win also completed a five-game road trip, dubbed ''The Reunion Tour'' by James because Miami visited Wade's home in Milwaukee, Chris Bosh's former team in Toronto and Ray Allen's in Boston.
''The streak wasn't on my mind, but us getting blown out was,'' James said. ''I was going to be the only guy to take an 'L' on the reunion tour.''
Mario Chalmers added 17 points and Wade had 11 for the Heat, who outscored the Cavs 30-18 in the fourth quarter and 64-40 in the second half.
Wayne Ellington had 20 points and Tristan Thompson 18 for Cleveland, which went from a stunning upset to blowing the biggest lead in a loss in franchise history.
''We knew it was coming,'' Thompson said of the Heat's comeback. ''They were the NBA champions last season. They're not going to lay down. Champions don't lay down even when they're down by 27. We knew they were going to make a push. Guys went out and made plays, so you have to give them credit.''
Down by nine to open the fourth, the Heat were up 95-86 with 3:02 left and seemed to have the Cavaliers on the ropes.
But Cleveland bounced back and closed to 96-95 on Thompson's two free throws with 44 seconds to go. Wade then missed a jumper, but Ellington misfired on a step-back 23-footer with 5.2 seconds to go.
James was fouled and the reigning MVP, with a sellout crowd of 20,562 roaring, stepped to the line and dropped both free throws to make it 98-95.
Miles was contested on his final shot, and once it clanked off the rim, the Heat headed home with a chance to extend their streak to 25 on Friday against Detroit.
This game had a little of everything, including a fan running on the floor in the fourth quarter. The young man was wearing a T-shirt that said: ''We Miss You, 2014 Come Back,'' a reference to James' possible free agency and return to Cleveland, where he played seven seasons.
James went out of his way and patted the fan on the head as security rushed him off the floor.
''He said he missed me and come back, please,'' James said. ''It happened once before in (Madison Square) Garden, so I wasn't worried. There are metal detectors here, so we were OK. I embraced it.''
The start of the game was delayed because of a spill on the floor caused by condensation from a carbon dioxide container inside the scoreboard.
James scored eight straight points to open the fourth, hitting a 3-pointer to tie it 77-all. He then turned toward the crowd and delivered an icy stare, his way of saying, 'OK, enough is enough.'
''When he made that one and turned to the crowd,'' Wade said, ''you knew it was coming.''
NOTES: Starting with the Cavs, Miami's next 10 games are against opponents with a combined winning percentage of just .399. ... The Heat play the Pistons and Charlotte at home before going to Orlando, Chicago, New Orleans and San Antonio. ... It was the first time Miami overcame a 21-point halftime deficit to win. ... The Cavs will wait a week before they evaluate Waiters, who has loose cartilage, and decide whether he needs surgery. Cleveland coach Byron Scott hopes his young guard comes back in the final month. ''If he gets back, I'll be thrilled to death,'' Scott said. ... Miami's three wins over Cleveland this season have been by a total of nine points.
Jurgen Klinsmann: Criticism shows that people care about USA soccer program.
By Mike Slane
For Jurgen Klinsmann and the United States men's national team, any press is good press.
Ahead of Friday's World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, the U.S. coach addressed a recent investigative report by the Sporting News that quoted several anonymous players voicing their frustration with his style and coaching acumen.
"I don't have any problems with that," Klinsmann said. "Obviously, I prefer if anyone has any type of problem with me that they will talk to me about it rather than these so-called anonymous quotes that you don't know who actually said it."
Klinsmann went on to say that questioning the coach's decisions is common in the sport and shows that there's a growing interest the success of the national team program.
"It's just part of our environment," he added. "I think people should be able to say how they feel and what they believe. I think it's a great sign that all the debate is going on in soccer now in this country. It shows you that people care."
Klinsmann's tactics had been brought into question after the U.S. struggled at times during the semifinal stage of qualifying followed by a loss against Honduras in the Hexagonal opener. The team appears to be lacking chemistry as Klinsmann has used 23 different lineups in his 23 games in charge.
The Sporting News report was released shortly after Klinsmann made one of his most controversial decisions to date by leaving captain Carlos Bocanegra off the latest roster. Klinsmann instead will use a very inexperienced back line against Costa Rica and Mexico in place of Bocanegra, who is a healthy scratch.
"At the end of the day I've got to decide which 23 will go down to Brazil (for the World Cup)," Klinsmann said. "Which 23 are the hungriest, most dedicated and best players we have."
Clint Dempsey will captain the team over the next two games for only the second time in his international career. The Tottenham forward has yet to address his teammates regarding the anonymous quotes, and it sounds like he's ready to put the controversy in the rear-view mirror.
"The most important thing is the game," Dempsey said. "I'm focusing on that match and making sure we get the three points, making sure we put ourselves in a good position in the table and gain confidence from a good result so that we can go on a good run of form."
Last year, Klinsmann led the Americans to a program-best 9-2-3 record, including a win over Mexico at the Estadio Azteca. However, it is believed that poor results against Costa Rica and Mexico could lead to the U.S. team looking for a new coach.
"The pressure is always there, that's what you live with," Klinsmann said. "The more expectations, the more pressure is there. That means people care about it, and I think that's great."
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